铀是1789年发现的,1906～1931年,仅澳大利亚生产了少量的铀,1944年才对其开始进行认真的勘探。原子弹的发展使这种资源首次变得重要起来。1954年,前苏联建成了世界上第一座核电站,发电能力为5000kW;至1987年末,在26个国家中已有417座反应堆在运转,占世界总发电量的 Uranium was discovered in 1789 and from 1906 to 1931 only a small amount of uranium was produced in Australia, and it was only in 1944 that it began a serious exploration. The development of the atomic bomb made this resource important for the first time. In 1954, the former Soviet Union built the world’s first nuclear power plant with a capacity of 5000kW. By the end of 1987, 417 reactors were operating in 26 countries, accounting for the world’s total generating capacity